


Matching Socks

by Mntsnflrs



Series: Clothes and Company [3]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bookstore, Anxiety, Fluff and Humor, Love at First Sight, M/M, Minor Chittaphon Leechaiyapornkul | Ten/Seo Youngho | Johnny, Minor Jung Yoonoh | Jaehyun/Kim Dongyoung | Doyoung, Romantic Comedy, but its soft i promise, everyone is stupid but thats how i like it, feral old people, mentions of biphobia, mentions of past emotional abuse, this is soft as SHIT lads, yes that's an applicable tag
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-01
Updated: 2019-05-01
Packaged: 2020-02-15 16:57:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 13,949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18673753
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mntsnflrs/pseuds/Mntsnflrs
Summary: “Are you free on Saturday night?”“I was gonna spend my evening eating noodles and then regretting eating so much and then eating more, but I guess I could schedule you in there somewhere.”-Third in the series but can be read as a stand alone!





	Matching Socks

**Author's Note:**

> Pretty much had Naughty Boy by Pentagon on repeat while writing, just so you all know and suffer with me. I hope everyone enjoys!!! xo

It’s always so _awkward_ when they think that performative crying will change his mind.

“Please Jungwoo,” Haesang says, sniffing loudly. “We have something special, really special, don’t give up on me.”

He bites his lip, trying to look sympathetic. “Haesang, you know as well as I do that it isn’t working, you’re just scared of being on your own. You’ll be fine.”

“Was I bad in bed?” He suddenly grasps Jungwoo’s hands in his own, eyes wide and searching. “Is that it? I can do better, I swear, I can buy you all that silk stuff you wanted, we could-“

 _“Stop,”_ Jungwoo says, gently but firmly pushing him back to his side of the couch. Jungwoo is glad he’d decided to do this in Haesang’s apartment instead of his own, because this way he can leave when he needs to. “Enough of this. I’m so sorry that I’ve hurt you, but I’ve made my feelings very clear.”

Haesang sniffs again, even louder. “Everyone says you’re a darling, but you’ve just broken my heart without so much as blinking.”

“We’ve only been dating five weeks,” Jungwoo says. “You’ll move on, I know you will.”

“I love you.”

“You don’t love me,” Jungwoo says, not so gentle now, “Or you wouldn’t have asked me to change the way I dress, the way I act in public, the way I smile at strangers. If you loved me, you wouldn’t want to change me. You’re infatuated, and I’m sorry that this is hurting you, but I think that continuing our relationship would be detrimental to my own happiness, and I don’t need that. Neither do you.”

“So just like that, huh? You’re gonna leave me just like that?”

Jungwoo nods and stands, picking up his jacket from where he’d draped it over the back of the chair. “Take care, Haesang. I hope that one day we can go for coffee or something and be friends, but until you’re comfortable with that, please stay healthy.”

He leaves quietly, despite the urge to stay. That instinct to rub away tears is well ingrained, but he’s dealt with this before, a thousand times before. Whenever he stays to help clean up, he always ends up staying longer and longer, until he’s persuaded away from his decision and spends the following weeks just as unhappy as the previous ones.

Outside, the evening air is cool but pleasant once Jungwoo has shrugged into his jacket, and he decides to walk home instead of getting the bus, savouring the peace and the chance to breathe some fresh air, which had been lacking in the apartment due to Haesang’s peculiar air-freshener that smells like rotting daisies.

Haesang would probably make a fantastic boyfriend to someone that is willing to invest their time into smoothing his rough (and demanding) edges, but Jungwoo knows he’s too soft for that. He’s too soft to not give in, and if he had stayed any longer he knows he’d wake up in a couple of months and find out that he’s an entirely different person. Better to rip the bandage off before it fuses with his skin.

Jungwoo takes a shortcut through the park and calls Ten.

As always, Ten picks up only just before it goes to voicemail. “Hey. You good?”

“I’m good,” Jungwoo replies, smiling at the content tone in Ten’s voice. He’s always been cheerful, snarky, good–humoured and kind, but now he’s really, truly happy. “I broke things off with Haesang.”

“Oh _no,”_ Ten says in a terrible imitation of sadness. “But he was so nice! The way he just... made you feel so bad about yourself and treated you like a piece of arm candy with no valid emotions. What a loss!”

He giggles. “Ten, be quiet,” he chides, trailing his free hand through the tulips along the pathway. “He meant well.”

“He absolutely did fucking not.” Ten’s voice moves away from the phone. “Tell him.”

Johnny’s voice comes on the line. “Hi Jungwoo. He didn’t mean well.”

“Hi Johnny.”

Ten comes back. “Now you can move onto the next ugly sucker, right? Who next? That customer that keeps coming in and demanding you find him first editions of Doyle like it’s just something anyone can do? He seems like he’d be the kind of guy to fuck you good and then treat you like shit, which is your type.”

“Ouch,” he says, not at all offended.

“You know I’m right, which is why you’re letting me say this. When are you gonna realise that you need to raise your standards? It’s like a flower dating a crusty lump of dog shit; you’re not in the same league as these losers; the only thing you have in common is that your feet touch the same ground.”

“Strong words from the man that moped after the same guy for three years.”

“Ah, don’t pull that card out,” Ten says. “Johnny isn’t a bad guy, he’s just stupid.”

“Like you.”

“Like me.” Ten sounds way too satisfied saying that he’s a dumbass, but it makes Jungwoo giggle, like Ten probably knew it would. “Are you really okay though? You wanna come over to Johnny’s apartment and chill with us? If you give me like ten minutes I’ll even clean the come stains off the tiles in the bathroom.”

Jungwoo swallows his distaste. “That’s gross.”

“They’re fresh, don’t worry!”

He laughs. “Thanks, but I think I want to be on my own this evening and have a little bit of me time, you know? Besides, I have the morning shift tomorrow, so I need some sleep.”

“If you say so. Take care of yourself, yeah?”

“Of course!” he says brightly. “You too, Ten. Send Johnny my love.”

“I will once he’s sucked my dick, both metaphorically and physically,” Ten says, and then hangs up before Jungwoo can even think of a response.

He walks home alone content to swing his arms through the flowers in the softly dimming light of the clear skies.

 

-

 

“He was awful anyway,” is what Doyoung greets him with the following morning, stood in his usual position at half past ten, cataloging the books. “Ten told me over text. Haesang was bad even by your low standards. Good riddance.”

“Good morning to you too,” Jungwoo says, squeezing Doyoung’s shoulder as he passes on his way to the cash register. There are already students milling between the shelves, picking up second-hand textbooks and staring longingly at the extensive literature section. Jungwoo waves to a familiar face; a young girl who blushes whenever she makes eye contact with Doyoung, not that he’s ever noticed. “Hey there Eunmi, how was your weekend?”

“Good thank you,” she says, blushing a sweet pink as she tucks her hair behind her ear. “How was yours?”

“Just great!” he replies. “Have you got your eye on anything in particular today?”

She glances at Doyoung and then quickly away, as if he might burn her if she looks too long. “Not yet. When is your new stock coming in?”

“End of the week,” Doyoung says, not looking up from his notebook. “Third Thursday of every month, you know that Eunmi.” He smiles slightly, still making notes. “You’d make a much better employee than Ten.”

“Anyone would,” she mumbles, flushing deeper. It surprised a laugh out of both Jungwoo and Doyoung, and she looks delighted with the result of her sudden burst of confidence. Jungwoo wants to hug her and never let go, but he settles for slipping her a free slice of brownie to take to college.

“Come back soon,” he says warmly as she leaves.

“I will,” she promises, heading out, then turning face first into Yukhei’s chest.

He bursts out laughing, the sound ringing through the quiet store. “Hey there, watch where you’re going!” he says, patting her shoulders. “You okay?”

She looks mortified, but nods quickly and runs out.

Yukhei turns to Jungwoo and smiles as bright as the sun. “Good morning.”

Jungwoo presses his lips together and tries not to smile as happily as he feels, despite the way his heart melts at the sight of the kind eyes and toothy grin. “Hey there, Yukhei. What can we do for you today? It’s been a while since you’ve come into the store.”

“Ten rang me approximately five minutes ago while I was still in bed, and I ran all the way here,” he says, scratching at his head.

Now that it’s been pointed out, Yukhei’s clothes look suspiciously like... pyjamas. “Are you wearing your night clothes under that jacket?”

Yukhei shifts suspiciously, lifting one hand to expose his teddybear-patterned shirt as if part of a strip tease. “Maybe. Do purple bears appeal to you?”

Jungwoo can’t help but laugh. “You’re so _weird,_ Yukhei,” he says from behind his hand. “What on earth was so important that you left the house in your pyjamas?”

“Like I said, Ten rang me,” he says, as if it’s somehow obvious what he’s here for. “He said you’re single.”

“I – what?”

“Are you? Single?”

“Yes?” Jungwoo says, uncomprehending.

Yukhei claps his hands, smile widening impossibly. “Awesome! Fuck yeah!”

“No swearing,” Doyoung interjects from his bookshelf hideaway.

“Oh, sorry.” He lowers his volume slightly. “Gnarly!”

“I don’t understand,” Jungwoo admits slowly. “What’s going on?”

“I finally have my chance!” Yukhei fumbles in his pocket and pulls out a wrinkled piece of paper, smoothes it out, then passes it to Jungwoo. It’s a simple (kind of bad) drawing of a flower. “I was gonna stop and get you some flowers, but I was in such a rush that I forgot my wallet, and I didn’t wanna miss my chance, you know? So I just stole a pen from the old guy down the street that always shouts at me for being too loud anyway, but don’t worry! I’ll return it once I’m done here. So anyway, there’s a flower for you, or an I.O.U for a flower at a later date. Speaking of dates, do you wanna go on one? With me? Would you like to maybe try dating me?”

Jungwoo stares at him, then down at the flower, then back at him.

Then down at the scribbled flower again.

Then at the teddy pyjamas, the untied shoes, the messy hair, the sleepy yet energetic eyes.

“Yes,” he says, sure of the answer in his heart before his brain gets a chance to weigh in. “Yes, I’ll go on a date with you.”

Yukhei cheers. “Fuck yes!”

“Language!”

“Sorry Doyoung.” He winks at Jungwoo despite his apologetic tone. “I guess I’m too happy to think about my words.”

“Then you must be happy continuously. How exhausting for you.”

“I think it’s sweet,” Jungwoo says quietly, still looking at Yukhei.

He glows. “Thanks. I think you are too.” He jolts suddenly. “Oh shit, I have to go thank Ten! See you guys later!”

 _“Language!”_ Doyoung shouts, but Yukhei is already out of the door, gone as fast as he came in.

Jungwoo stares down at the flower again. “Doyoung,” he says, “Did you know about this?”

“Everyone knows about this,” Doyoung replies. “He’s more obvious than an excited puppy. Are you really so blind?”

“No,” Jungwoo says, brow furrowing. “I just – I don’t know.”

“Just because he hasn’t slapped your ass, called you hot, and bought you a drink doesn’t mean he isn’t interested. You’re just used to picking up the wrong signals.”

And his track record – yeah. He can’t really argue with that. His last four boyfriends came from meeting in bars, which isn’t bad, it’s just that he’s become used to making up excuses for why they usually want one thing from him and nothing else.

He’s known Yukhei for months now, from a cautious distance.

Yukhei is loud, painfully sweet, funny and kind. He’s lovely, he just isn’t he isn’t what Jungwoo would consider his type.

He smoothes out the flower again and feels himself start to smile.

Maybe it’s a good thing that Yukhei isn’t his type.

Maybe it’s time to try something new.

 

-

 

The next day, Jungwoo invites himself along to Doyoung’s weekly breakfast with Jeno, because he knows from Kun that Jeno is a good friend of Yukhei, and he wants more information.

Doyoung grumbles about it, but he still lets Jungwoo take the first seat and insists on ordering him a coffee.

“Thank you so much,” Jungwoo says. He loves Doyoung. He wants to cuddle him, but maybe right now isn’t the best time. Once Doyoung goes to order drinks, he turns to Jeno, whose eyes widen in surprise and something like fear. It makes Jungwoo giggle. “Relax, I’m not going to eat you!”

“Sorry, but when people usually give me that look I’m about to get attacked. Viciously.”

Jungwoo falters. “That’s... that’s horrible. Are you okay?”

Jeno smiles, his eyes closing, and Jungwoo feels his heart melt into a thousand little drops. “Oh sure, don’t worry about me! I just have a lot of friends that would be considered feral by the main population.”

“Oh,” he says, kind of understanding. Ten would probably be considered feral. If not feral, then just a little... undomesticated. Like a possum. Maybe a racoon. “I see. Is Yukhei one of them?”

“Yukhei? Despite his volume, he’s not that bad,” Jeno says, eyebrows lifting. “Now Donghyuck on the other hand looks small and sweet, but it’s not true. It’s a guise to trick you. Renjun too. Don’t turn your back on them or you’ll be robbed of your money and dignity.”

“Like Ten.” Jungwoo nods slowly. They definitely sound like Ten.

Jeno nods slowly too. They’ve found an odd understanding. "Anyway, what can I do for you?”

Doyoung arrives with their drinks. “He wants to know more about Yukhei.”

“Why?”

“He asked me on a date yesterday.”

Jeno’s eyes widen. “You’re the dude with the pretty smile he likes?”

“I – I am?”

Jeno nods. “He talks about you kind of a lot. How sweet you are, how friendly. How cute you are and how he wonders what food you like and how you take your drinks, and what music you like to dance to when it’s late at night and you’re sleepy in your kitchen.” Jeno shrugs. “You may think that’s weirdly specific of me to remember, but believe me, I’ve heard it enough to memorise it now. He even asked Ten at one point, but Ten just smacked him until he shut up.”

“Did everyone know?” Jungwoo asks. “I mean, Yukhei’s visits are so rare! I don’t understand!”

“You’re very rarely single,” Doyoung says. “I’m not judging you, just speaking the truth. He didn’t want to intrude on your relationships, which, considering his mind is the size of a peanut, is very considerate.”

Jungwoo sits back and thinks about the few interactions he’s actually had with Yukhei. Admittedly, he’s painfully attractive. Tall and well built, sweet natured and humorous. He’s definitely a catch, but what does Jungwoo really know about him?

He works at the desk in the gym.

He likes reading manga.

He lives in an apartment with Kun, who, after the debacle with Ten, has become something of a friend to Jungwoo.

What else?

He likes Jungwoo.

He likes Jungwoo enough to leave his apartment in his pyjamas and steal a pen from a grumpy old man that already hates him.

Their food arrives and Jungwoo nibbles on the fruit he ordered while Doyoung plays around with his scrambled eggs and Jeno inhales the half a pig’s worth of bacon off his plate.

“How is Jaemin?” Doyoung asks.

Jeno looks up with a mouthful of bacon, evidently surprised. “He’s good. Why?”

Doyoung shrugs, but Jungwoo knows that look in his eye, and it spells secrecy. “Just wondering. He seems like a lovely young man.”

“He’s awesome,” Jeno agrees, shovelling more food into his already full mouth. “He has a boyfriend at the minute, which is kind of weird for me, you know? He’s only ever had girlfriends before, and I knew he was bisexual, but his boyfriend is kind of weird.” His face falls slightly. “Sorry, I didn’t come here to complain, I swear.”

“If you’d like to talk about it, we’re both willing to listen,” Doyoung says sincerely, glancing at Jungwoo who gives a nod. “If I didn’t want to hear it, believe me, I would tell you immediately.”

Jungwoo smiles at that. Many people have been victims to Doyoung’s blunt nature.

Jeno chews on his lip for a second before he continues eating. “Well, it’s not a big deal. It’s just weird, you know? It’s always been the two of us, and then in a wider group it’s been us, Renjun, Donghyuck, Mark, Chenle, and Jisung. We’re all best friends. This guy... he isn’t one of us. I don’t really like him.”

Jungwoo leans forward, watching Jeno closely. “Do you dislike his personality or that he’s intruding on time with Jaemin that is usually yours alone?”

Jeno flushes. “Both. He’s weird. Not even a good weird, he’s just... weird. I don’t know how to explain it. He insists on being in Jaemin’s space like, all of the time, and I get doing it sometimes, but to the point where as soon as I enter the room he’s basically climbing onto his lap? It’s weird. He told Jaemin that he doesn’t like me much either. He thinks I’m boring.” He wipes his mouth with a tissue. “Jaemin says we’ll warm up to each other soon.”

It’s intended as some kind of reassurance, Jungwoo can see, but as soon as the word _boring_ left Jeno’s mouth, Doyoung’s expression had already hardened, his opinion formed.

“You clearly haven’t made your feelings evident to Jaemin. If you tell him the truth he’d listen, and we both know that, which is why you’re telling me instead of talking to him, because you fear being the catalyst of his relationship failing.”

Jeno sits back, stunned.

Jungwoo puts a hand on Doyoung’s knee and squeezes. “What he’s trying to say, Jeno, is that you should really be honest. If this Jaemin is your best friend, I’m sure he’d rather you told him the truth than suffered in silence.”

“I don’t want him to think it’s...” he chews his lip again. “Homophobia or something. This is his first boyfriend, and I wanna support him.”

“He knows you well enough to decide if you’re a homophobe or not,” Doyoung says. “And unless you make a habit out of lying to him, I’m sure he’d believe you if you explain your reasoning in a rational manner.”

“I guess you’re right.” He looks down. “I don’t know why it’s bothering me so much.”

“Whatever the reason, your emotions are valid,” Doyoung says. It doesn’t seem to convince Jeno, so in a show of selflessness that makes Jungwoo melt, Doyoung continues, “Lots of unreasonable things bother me. My underwear has to go on the left side of the drawer, with my socks on the right. If a sock is on the left, I throw away the sock. It upsets me greatly, but when I found a sock on the left, Jaehyun got to it before I could and threw it away. Whether you can explain your emotions or not, good people will understand, and they will listen. Like Jaehyun, Jaemin seems to me like a very good person. You should not take away his chance to prove himself as one.”

Jeno nods slowly. He doesn’t smile, but he does start eating again. “You’re like my dad, but younger and hotter. I’m surprised Jaemin didn’t try to flirt with you when you met him, actually.”

Doyoung purses his lips. “We had a pleasant conversation, but at the time he was already deeply invested in someone else.”

Jeno looks up, surprised. “He was? He never said anything to me.”

“I can’t imagine he would have,” Doyoung mutters. Then, louder, “Would you like me to order you some more bacon?”

 

-

 

“So,” Jungwoo says as they walk back to the bookstore. “Is Jaemin in love with Jeno?”

“Painfully so. Even Ten was less obvious.”

“So what’s the problem?”

“Jeno is straight.”

“Wait, really?” Jungwoo asks, brow creasing. “I thought it was bluster. He’s straight?”

“He seems to think so.”

“Ouch.”

“Yes, their position is difficult.” Doyoung kicks a pebble. “Still, Ten thought Johnny was straight, and look at them now. They’re probably fucking against my cash register as we speak.”

Jungwoo grimaces, because there’s about a fifty percent chance that Doyoung’s guess is correct. Shamelessness is a word Ten greatly enjoys being called, and Johnny is so smitten that he’s happy to tag along for every kind of ride.

“Anyway.” Doyoung turns on him quickly. “Yukhei. What do you think?”

“I... I think he’s sweet.”

“That’s it?”

“I don’t know him very well.”

“Hm.” Doyoung turns back to the road. “I can tell you’re not letting yourself fully consider the implications of a man that might actually treat you like you deserve. Would you like me to be honest with you, Jungwoo? Feel free to tell me no.”

“You know I value your opinion,” Jungwoo says. Inside, however, he’s already cringing away from the verbal blow he knows is heading his way.

“You go through so many men because it’s easier to pretend to yourself that you’re genuinely trying to find love and it isn’t working, instead of acknowledging that you go into each relationship knowing that they’re not the kind of man that you could develop deep emotions for, because a real connection on that level terrifies you.” He blinks slowly in the morning sunlight. “It scared me too. It still does. Jaehyun and I are in the middle of our first argument, and every time I get a message on my phone I’m terrified that he’s telling me he’s done. But deep down I know he won’t, because even if he wants to leave me, he’d have the respect to say it to my face. He’s a good man. Yukhei is annoying, but he is a good man. You’re perhaps one of the best men I have ever met, Jungwoo, but not once since we met have I seen you in a relationship with a good man.”

Jungwoo tries to play off the cutting words. “Are you telling me to go on a date with him whether I want to or not?”

“You know that’s not what I’m telling you.” They reach the bookstore, and Doyoung pushes in first, visibly relieved to see Ten behind the counter and not groping Johnny in front of customers. Ten waves at them while Doyoung continues to lecture Jungwoo. “I’m telling you that eventually you’ll begin to realise that you’re worth flowers and romance and fancy dinners, instead of kinky sexy that doesn’t compensate for a lack of emotional connection. You can have both, if you look for it in the right place.”

“Ah, so you’re telling me Yukhei is kinky.”

Ten bursts out laughing. “You’re kidding, right? Yukhei is a total virgin.”

Jungwoo halts, stomach plummeting.

Even Doyoung’s eyes widen, his mouth opening and closing silently.

After a second, Jungwoo clears his throat. “I’m sorry; I don’t think I heard you right. He’s a _what?”_

 

-

 

He’s an enigma.

With absolutely no warning, he turns up the next day at the end of Jungwoo’s shift, dressed in nice jeans and a cameo jacket, tulips clutched in one hand and says, “Are you ready for our date?”

Jungwoo halts his dusting. “Date? You mean now?”

“Yeah!” Yukhei grins in that adorably huge way he does. “I have something special planned! You in?”

His emotional reaction is an immediate yes, but he has another half an hour before he can go. Jungwoo chews the inside of his cheek. “My shift isn’t quite done yet, Yukhei. I’m sorry.”

Doyoung sighs. “You may go.”

“Really?” Jungwoo tries to hide his excitement, but judging by Doyoung’s thinly veiled smile, he isn’t very successful.

“Yes, I can lock up. Enjoy your evening.”

“Thank you so much!” because he isn’t going to take any spontaneity from Doyoung for granted. He shrugs into his jacket and ducks out from under the bench, but then pauses. “Uh, Yukhei, could you wait outside for me for a second? I’ll be right out.”

Yukhei offers him a smile and a thumbs up. “That’s super funky fresh with me. See you later, D-Dude!”

Doyoung’s voice comes out deathly cold. “What did you just call me, Wong Yukhei?”

He runs out at the speed of light, leaving Jungwoo to walk over to Doyoung and nudge his shoulder. “Are you sure you’ll be okay here on your own? Especially after the Jaehyun thing.”

Doyoung had explained in the briefest possible manner why he’s currently not speaking to Jaehyun, and it all boils down to fear, at the core of his heart. Jaehyun wanted to go away for the weekend or something, and Doyoung had freaked out and shut him down in an unkind way, and now he’s hiding.

“I’ll be fine.”

“I don’t like the thought of you being here on your own.”

“Taeyong and Taeil have both taken the evening off to force me to face my emotions.” Doyoung’s mouth thins. “Believe me, I would rather be alone, but I don’t have a choice.”

“Are you sure? Is there anything I can do?”

Doyoung looks at the floor. “Oh, I need to vacuum up, there’s dirt everywhere.”

“Doyoung.”

He sighs. “You needn’t do anything, but thank you. If you see Jaehyun... just. I don’t know. Remind him that my faults are not his burden to bear.”

“He doesn’t need me to tell him that, he needs you to remind him that you care about him.”

Doyoung groans. “Please, just go on your date already, I’ll get enough of that tonight from Taeil! I can only hope that Taeyong gets him drunk enough to stop caring after a while.”

“Good luck with that.” If Jungwoo’s memory is correct, the more Taeil drinks, the more he cares.

“Yes, well, good luck with your date. Go now, stop keeping him waiting, I’ll be fine. Have fun.”

“Thank you,” Jungwoo gives him a quick, soft hug. “I’ll see you tomorrow for the afternoon shift, right?”

“Right. Ten is coming in at noon too, since tomorrow is restock day.”

“Wow, how’d you convince him to take an extra shift?”

“I said he could bring Johnny to help with restocking.”

Jungwoo cringes. “Oh.”

“I know, but we need the help. I’ll try and keep them apart if you search Ten’s pockets for condoms and confiscate any sexual goods.”

“It’s a deal.” He waves, suddenly full of nerves. “Okay, I’m going. Wish me luck again?”

Doyoung smiles, and it hits Jungwoo like a boulder. No wonder Jaehyun fell for Doyoung, because as odd as he is, he’s possibly the most caring and beautiful individual to ever grace the earth. “Good luck, Jungwoo. Give Yukhei the chance he deserves. Well... possibly deserves. Maybe. Anyway, leave.”

With a last wave he heads out and finds Yukhei like two hundred yards down the street, arguing with the old woman that runs the flower shop.

Jungwoo jogs up to him, smiles worryingly at the lady before searching Yukhei’s slowly reddening face. “Hey, I’m ready. Everything alright?”

“She won’t let me get you some flowers!”

The woman yells in indignation. “You petulant child, the last time I gave you some flowers you tried to get a refund the next day!”

“There was a spider in one of the daffodils!”

“That’s not my fault!”

“Well it isn’t my fault!”

“You could have planted that spider!”

Jungwoo puts his hand up, smiling at the old lady in the sweetest way he can mould his face. “Uh... Ma’am? I’m sorry for Yukhei, but it’s our first date, and as you can tell, he gets kind of abrasive when he’s nervous. Please excuse him.”

She scowls, eying Jungwoo with disgust. “Fine. Move him before I get Mister Jeon to come and sort him out, won’t you? We have enough trouble with your pesky book store, we don’t need anything else.”

He nods and grabs the back of Yukhei’s jacket in a vicelike grip, marching him back down the street, ignoring the very vocal complaints.

“Jungwoo, come on! I was gonna get you some roses!”

“I’d just burn them,” he says, checking behind to make sure she isn’t following them. “A word of advice, Yukhei, in general old people are great, right? Not down this street. Don’t trust a single old person on this street, they’re all terrible. Mister Jeon nearly got into a fight with Doyoung over a book display once, and he’s gagging for another chance to upset him. That old hag? She probably did plant the spider in your daffodils. Ten got some peonies for Johnny when he got promoted a while back, and as soon as the woman found out they were for a man she refused to take his money; she called it dirty.”

Yukhei whistles. “What did Ten do?”

“He trampled all over the peonies, and then Doyoung dragged him away before he could do more. We have a general rule that if an old person is stood outside, we don’t leave the store unless we’re running right into another building. They just wait to pounce, because all they have to live for is making us sad and their stupid television reruns.”

“This street is so whack.” Yukhei turns suddenly down a side road, but Jungwoo keeps walking ahead until Yukhei realises he hasn’t noticed. He giggles loudly, reaching to clasp Jungwoo’s hand and drag him the right way. “I love old people, too. You know, the stories, the cookies, the kisses on my cheeks... old people really rock.”

“We think someone poisoned their water in the seventies and it turned them all into goblin hybrids.”

Yukhei laughs again, and Jungwoo watches the way his cheeks, so full, crease just below his eyes as he smiles. It’s cute.

Yukhei is cute.

Very cute.

Cute isn’t Jungwoo’s type, but Yukhei... somehow Yukhei feels like his type anyway.

“So,” he says, shaking himself from his thoughts. “What is this plan you have that meant I couldn’t go home and chance into something nicer?”

Yukhei’s smile deepens. “I like what you’re wearing now, why would you wanna change?”

He feels himself start to redden. “You’re kidding, right? I’m in old skinny jeans and a shirt I’m pretty sure belonged to my dad.”

“Yeah? You look super cute.” Yukhei laughs. “The hell do you usually wear for a first date? A red lacy thong and edible nipple tassels?”

Jungwoo splutters. “I mean I usually go with a suit or something!”

Yukhei gives him a sly side-eye. “Just _usually,_ huh? So we’re not ruling the thong out then? Good to know.” He clears his throat and the sun is back out, his expression moving from dark and sexual to bright and happy faster than it takes Jungwoo to blink. “Anyway! Thongs aside, I’m taking you on an extra special and momentous first date, but I can’t tell you what it is until we’re there.”

“It’s a secret?” God, why is he so endeared already? Why does his hand feel so safe in Yukhei’s?

“A mega top-secret secret.” Yukhei squeezes his hand lightly. “If I told you I’d have to kill you.”

“Oh. Well, I’d rather stay alive, so I won’t ask.”

“Great! Come on, it isn’t far!”

Jungwoo lets himself get dragged and tries to pretend he isn’t already falling.

 

-

 

They end up in a small park shrouded by trees, and at first it looks pretty empty, until Jungwoo sees the tent at the end of the grass, hidden behind willows and oaks.

He slows. “Yukhei... you’re not actually gonna murder me, are you?”

Yukhei scoffs. “I wouldn’t go to this length to kill you, dude. I’d have just done it already.”

“Wow. Reassuring.”

“What fun is that?” he winks and then turns back to the tent. Outside, he stops and lets go of Jungwoo’s hand. “Uh, Miss Nana?” he calls. “It’s Yukhei.”

“Come in.”

He pulls the curtain aside and gestures for Jungwoo to enter, which he does, pleasantly surprised at what he finds. The tent is bigger than it looks, covered by soft blankets and fairy lights. In the middle of the floor is a middle aged woman with her long, graying hair tucked behind her ears, pompom earrings reaching down to her shoulders, covered almost head to foot in red woolen clothing. She gives Yukhei a toothy grin. “There you are, kid.”

“Here I am! And here is Jungwoo, who I was telling you about.”

“He’s as cute as you said.”

“Isn't he!”

Jungwoo hangs back, unsure. “Uh, nice to meet you, Miss Nana.”

“Nice to meet you, sweetheart. Wont you come and take a seat on the carpet here, opposite me?”

He looks at Yukhei, who just nods.

“Okay.” He hesitates. “Would you like me to take my shoes off?”

“Such a polite boy! Yes please.”

He toes off his converse and sits cross legged opposite her, waiting to be clued in.

Yukhei flops down beside him, still grinning madly. “Isn't this cool?”

“I don’t know what’s happening.”

“We’re getting our palms read!”

Jungwoo blinks. “We are?”

“Yeah! Then we’re gonna have a picnic that Miss Nana has been guarding for me.”

“Oh.” He swallows and looks away so that he doesn't pounce on Yukhei. “That sounds lovely.”

Yukhei whoops. “Awesome! Let’s get this ball rolling then. Miss Nana, can you do Jungwoo first? That’s date etiquette, right?”

She rolls her eyes and gently takes Jungwoo’s hand, turning it to expose his palm. “Yukhei, you act like I haven't seen your many other first dates. I remember when you shoved that girl in the pond because you thought that would show her you thought she was pretty.”

"Not cool, Miss Nana!” he gives Jungwoo an apologetic look. “I don’t take everyone here on a date, I swear. Miss Nana is my dad’s old friend and she’s known me since I was like, four years old and thought my snot was the most delicious food ever.”

Jungwoo just nods, mystified, not for the first time, and turns back to Miss Nana when she tugs on his arm.

She tells Yukhei to keep quiet before tracing some of the lines along Jungwoo’s palm, looking closely. It’s weirdly soothing, and definitely the most interesting first date he’s ever had. Usually he’s already blowing someone by this point.

“Do you want the details or the fun stuff?” Miss Nana asks.

Yukhei groans. “We have strawberries to feed each other after this, Miss Nana, can you give us the good stuff please?”

She huffs. “I’ll be telling your father about your attitude, Yukhei.”

He blows her a kiss, and she does a bad job of pretending she doesn’t adore him as she turns back to Jungwoo with deep, affectionate eyes. “Well Jungwoo, your lines are quite hard to read. Some suggest deceit, while others suggest openness. All point to the heart, which is big and open. Your aura is light and airy, like sky blue summer winds. I think that whoever you are, sweet boy, you’re going to make sure you live a happy life no matter the situation.”

He blinks a couple of times, kind of overwhelmed. “I... thank you.”

She nods and pats his hand. “Your whole person sings of kindness.”

“I wouldn’t say-“

“Don’t argue with the lines.”

He nods meekly. “Yes Ma’am.”

“Me next!”

“Yes, Yukhei, give me your giant hand so I can tell you you’re stupid from a professional standpoint.”

He just giggles, which he apparently does every couple of seconds. Cute.

Miss Nana takes his hand and strokes his palm with her fingertips, focusing despite her earlier words. “Well, Yukhei, I’ve known since you were a kid that your aura was an obnoxious orange. Kind, bright, and loud. Like cherry blossoms filtered through sunlight. The lines on your hands are deep, but your skin is very soft, which speaks of your character. This one here, you see-“ she points to the line arching from the centre of his palm to just over the joint of his thumb. “-this one is odd. It should usually be closer to your fingers, but yours is nearer to your thumb.”

“What does that mean?” he asks, eyes wide. “Am I dying?”

She smacks his forehead. “No you idiot, of course you’re not dying! It means that your path is different, your way of thinking differs greatly from most people, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Different and unique are often interchangeable words, and it is certainly so for you. Your path won't please everyone, but if you focus, it will please you.”

“You’re saying I piss a lot of people off but I shouldn’t care?”

She lets go of his hand and sighs. “I’m saying go and enjoy the rest of your date before I shove those strawberries up your nose.”

“Oh, okay. Thanks for the readings, Miss Nana!” he leans over to kiss her cheek. “I’ll tell dad you were super nice to me.”

“I’ll tell him you were as annoying as always.”

“He won’t believe you, I’m his best baby boy.”

She grunts. “Why you’re his favourite I will never know.”

Jungwoo clears his throat and pipes up. “Miss Nana, do you come here often?”

She looks at him, curious. “Sometimes, usually at weekends. I would never charge Yukhei, but I tend to have fixed prices. Why, sweet boy?”

“What you said about being unique...” he shares a look with Yukhei. “I think maybe my friend Doyoung would benefit from seeing you, if just for peace of mind. He struggles with his own uniqueness, I think.”

Yukhei nods, stroking his chin. “D-Dude is pretty whack, but he’s cool. I agree.”

Miss Nana fishes about in her woollen pockets and hands Jungwoo a small card. “Give me an email and I can always come and visit him if it’s easier.” She picks up a wicker basket from behind her back and hands it to Yukhei. “Now go enjoy yourselves, kids.”

“Thank you again, Miss Nana.” Jungwoo gives her a short bow before putting his shoes back on. “Have a good week.”

“You too, sweet boy. If Yukhei annoys you, just kick him. it’s what I always do.”

“See you later, Miss Nana,” Yukhei says, leaning down to kiss her cheek again.

“Goodbye, brat.” She blows him a kiss.

Yukhei herds Jungwoo out of the tent and pulls on his hand once more. “Come on, there’s a spot down here next to the pond that’s perfect.”

Jungwoo looks at him in the soft afternoon sunlight. “You really had this all planned, huh?”

Yukhei turns to meet his gaze. “Of course! First impressions are important right?”

“But I already know you, Yukhei.”

“You know of me,” Yukhei corrects, tugging gently. “But this next part is where you know me.”

“You have something else planned?”

“Yep.”

He eventually pulls Jungwoo to his desired spot on the bank of the pond, laying out a small blanket on the grass and sitting with his long legs facing the water. Jungwoo joins him. He doesn't know why he feels so oddly emotional, like tears could spring out at any moment, but he just goes with it. Yukhei is like a swift river, but beneath the surface there’s no sharp rocks, only warm sand.

Then he pulls out two water pistols from the basket and hands one to Jungwoo. “Are you ready for phase two of our first date?”

Jungwoo stares down at the pistol, uncomprehending. “I really don’t know.”

“So the plan is, we tell each other two statements, one being a truth, one being a lie. We have our eyes closed and we take a guess at which is the lie, and if we get it right the other feeds us a strawberry. If it’s wrong...” he aims his water pistol and pretends to shoot Jungwoo. “You get shot.”

It’s utterly ridiculous.

Jungwoo wants to tackle Yukhei into the grass and kiss him senseless. “Okay. Who goes first?”

“I’ll go first to give you time to think of something.” He pulls out a ripe strawberry with one hand and the pistol with the other. “Okay, close your eyes.” Jungwoo does as he’s told, heart beating rapidly, and not just at the thought of getting sprayed with water. “Cool, good, I’ll go now. So, my two statements. One is that when I was seventeen I got hit by a car and broke my left arm and then got it stuck in a vending machine and broke it again. The other is that when I was seventeen I hit someone with my dad’s car and broke their arm and then visited them in the hospital to apologise, slipped on the floor and broke my own arm.”

Jungwoo wants desperately to open his eyes. “Jeez, Yukhei. Neither are particularly good options.”

“I was a clumsy kid.”

“Clearly!”

“Take your pick, Jungwoo. Don't make me give you a warning squirt.”

He giggles, too childish not to, and Yukhei laughs too. “Okay, okay. Uh, I’m gonna guess that the second one is a lie and the first one was the truth?”

There’s a moment of silent dread.

The strawberry is pressed to his lips and makes him jump, but once he realises what it is he opens his mouth and bites down happily, opening his eyes to see Yukhei glowing at him. “Well done!”

“Thanks. I can picture you with your arm stuck in a vending machine.”

“I think my parents do have a picture of it framed somewhere in their house, actually. Kun probably does too.”

Jungwoo laughs and picks up a strawberry. “Okay, I’ve thought of one. Close your eyes.”

Yukhei makes an odd noise, a combination of laughter and dread. “Wow, this is scarier than I thought it would be. Okay, I’ll be brave. Miss Nana would want me to be brave.” He closes his eyes.

Jungwoo presses his lips together and tries not to laugh outright at the serious focus on Yukhei’s face. “Okay, so your two options are these. When I was twenty I had a threesome with Ten and a weird American football guy that had a choking kink, or when I was twenty Ten and I visited a bondage club and I got spanked by a guy I later found out was one of my lecturers.”

He cackles at the way Yukhei’s jaw drops. “Jungwoo! You’re a sex maniac?”

“I had fun in college, is all. Take your guess, Yukhei.”

“Uhhhh, okay, give me a second.” His forehead creases. “So the thought of you having sex with Ten is all sorts of ick, but that’s just because I’ve seen him snotty crying over Johnny I guess, which was ugly but also kind of cute because he’s so in love that it’s kind of stupid. But then again back then he might have not been so in love! He might have loved you! But then why would the football guy be there? And who was choking who? Can I ask that?”

Jungwoo tries desperately not to burst out laughing. “No. No questions.”

“Damn! Okay, so the second option is also freaky with a capital F, but you know what, I’m an open minded guy! I almost got my dick stuck in a lube bottle, I can get down with freaky! But getting spanked in a bondage club is... that’s otherworldly realms of freaky. I’m gonna go with the first option as the one that’s true.”

Jungwoo squirts him right in the middle of his forehead, and Yukhei yells as he falls backward in surprise, eyes shooting open as his back hits the grass with a dull thud. “You’re so freaky Jungwoo!”

Jungwoo giggles and leans over to feed him a consolation strawberry. “It wasn’t intentional freakiness, I just thought he was another horny guy that wanted to experiment. Then when I walked into class like two weeks later, he was stood there and he just stared at me like he wanted me to die on the spot, not that I can blame him. Ten however, now he really did some stuff in that club.”

Yukhei chews the strawberry, looking up with curiosity. “Like what?”

“It isn’t my place to say.”

“You just shot me, surely I deserve some compensation?”

Jungwoo looks down at him. “Yukhei... I know this is our first date, but I really want to kiss you. Can I kiss you?”

He has the pleasure of watching Yukhei struggle for words, maybe for the first time in his life. “You wanna kiss me? Legit?”

Jungwoo smiles. “Super legit.”

“Then kiss away, my dude.”

“My dude.” Jungwoo rolls his eyes, “Sure, pal.”

He cuts off Yukhei’s probably stupid reply with the press of his lips, and Yukhei makes a surprised grunt that sounds kind of like a cow sitting down, but his mouth opens slightly, still, like he’s scared, nervous, like he’s not quite sure what he’s doing, and Jungwoo realises that he’s in charge. In this moment, with Yukhei framed by the grass and the soft sunlight, his forehead still wet, his perpetually smiling mouth finally silenced. Jungwoo lifts, only to kiss him again and again, soft, nothing deep, nothing too much, just gentle and damp, warm breath that smells and tastes of strawberries, auras that sing of summertime happiness.

“Kim Jungwoo, is that you?” a voice calls incredulously. “On public property? What the hell are you- wait, _Yukhei?”_

He lifts his head, blindly searching for the voice. “Sicheng I swear to _God_ if you go and tell Ten-“

Sicheng waves a hand, unimpressed. “I don’t want your filthy homosexual gossip, I’m late for an appointment on Yuta’s dick anyway. Have fun, guys.” He continues through the park, putting his earbuds back in and whistling happily.

Jungwoo sits back and blows out a breath. “I guess he’s right about this being public property.”

Yukhei continues to lie on the ground. “Not to be like, dramatic, but I think the whole world is spinning.”

Jungwoo frowns. “The earth is in orbit, of course it’s spinning.”

“Stop being smart! I mean that your kissing rocked my world, okay?”

He giggles. “Okay, Yukhei. You wanna get up and continue the game?”

“Can I kiss you instead of feeding you if you get it right?”

“Why not both?”

Yukhei shoots up. “Alright, let’s get this going!”

It’s possible that he makes the rest of his options really easy so that he can keep kissing Jungwoo.

It’s possible that Jungwoo does the same.

 

-

 

Yukhei walks him home as the sky begins to darken, leaving him with a lingering kiss at the door and some awkward finger guns. “See you around, Jungwoo.”

Jungwoo pulls him in by the shirt and kisses him again. “Later, Yukhei.”

He drops his keys in the dish and then makes himself some toast as he changes into something comfy and snuggles down to snack and try not to think about Yukhei. He’s had countless first dates, but none ever so blatantly... romantic. And from Yukhei? Who thinks with his gut instead of his brain?

It’s the best date he’s ever had.

His phone beeps, and it’s a message from Taeyong that makes his light spirit sink. _Doyoung is not well. Can you please come over? We don’t know how to help him._

Jungwoo steps into his shoes and rings Ten, leaving his toast untouched.

 

-

 

Ten hasn’t arrived by the time Jungwoo has ran to the bookstore, but he heads inside regardless.

The lights are on, there are scented candles around the cash register which belie Taeyong’s presence, but otherwise the building is quiet. Jungwoo heads to the seating area at the back and finds Taeyong chewing on his lip, Taeil sat with his head on his knees.

“Guys?” he asks. “What’s going on?”

Taeil lifts his head. “It’s our fault. I think we pushed too hard, and he just... he just kind of shut down.” To Jungwoo’s dismay, his eyes fill with tears. “He hasn’t shut me out like that since college.”

“Where is he?”

“He’s locked himself in his apartment upstairs.”

Jungwoo has a spare key for emergencies, but if he just bursts in Doyoung will become more upset. He wants to help but... there’s really only one person that can help, and Jungwoo knows it isn’t him.

Ten runs in, winded and breathless. “Alright, who hurt him? Who do I have to kill?”

“It was our fault,” Taeil says.

“Oh.” Ten visibly deflates. “Well, I don’t wanna kill you guys. Will you settle for a light grilling?”

“Yes,” Taeil says miserably. “That’s being kind.”

“You’ve known Doyoung for years, and you should know by now that he doesn’t deal well with social pressure,” Ten says sternly. “Uh, learn from your mistakes, don’t do it again, etcetera. So what the fuck do we do?”

“I think we need to get Jaehyun,” Jungwoo says.

Ten looks at him sharply. “Doyoung would come down from whatever episode he’s having, just to throttle us all.”

“Jaehyun is the only one that’s been past Doyoung’s apartment’s hallway in three years,” Taeyong says slowly. He nods. “I agree with Jungwoo. Jaehyun has built a bridge specific to their relationship that we don’t have. He’s probably going to be the best guy to deal with this.”

“If he will,” Ten says. “Remember? The reason you guys came here was to smack Doyoung out of his Jaehyun-induced funk?”

Jungwoo rings Jaehyun, who picks up on the third ring. “Hello?”

“Hi Jaehyun. Do you have a moment?”

“Yes?” his voice is suspicious. “Is... everything okay?”

“Kind of.” Jungwoo looks at the other guys, who are all watching him keenly. “So this is going to sound invasive, but please bear with me. Doyoung has admitted that the two of you are arguing, and so Taeyong and Taeil came tonight to try and talk him into speaking to you about it, but they pushed too hard out of concern, and now Doyoung has locked himself in his apartment and is refusing to speak to anyone. I know that things between you are going through a rough-“

“Jungwoo,” Jaehyun interrupts gently. “Give me ten minutes and I’ll be there, okay? Hang tight. I’m coming.”

He hangs up and Jungwoo lowers his phone. “He’s coming now.” He looks up at the ceiling as if it could fade away and show him what’s happening with Doyoung. “Maybe we should leave so that they have some privacy.”

Taeil looks up with dark eyes. “I did this. I’m not leaving Jaeyun to clean it up.”

Ten scoffs. “Don’t think so highly of yourself, you didn’t do this. Doyoung’s been weird since he started arguing with Jaehyun like a week ago, and he never deals well with pressure anyway. He’s probably up there organising his ties by colour, trying to figure out how to avoid dying from humiliation.”

“I hurt my friend,” Taeil replies tightly.

Jungwoo kneels down next to his chair and puts a hand on his knee. “Ten made me cry like a baby last week because he said my ass was so flat that you could balance a bowling ball on each cheek. We were drunk and he was joking, but I didn’t realise, and at the time it hurt a lot. I locked myself in the club’s bathroom and he had to get the security team to unscrew the door from the wall. My point is, once he explained that he was joking and that he would never intentionally hurt me, everything was forgiven. When you have close friends that care about you, hurt is sometimes inevitable. Doyoung knows you care about him, just like he cares about you. Don’t let something like this make you sad, Taeil.”

Taeyong nods. “He’s upset you plenty of times, and you always forgive him. Friendship goes both ways.”

Jaehyun bursts in and startles everyone out of their melancholy, and he looks like _shit_.

“Wow,” Ten says, eyebrows solely rising up his forehead. “Jung Jaehyun, you look like you’ve been hit by a truck that decided to reverse back over your mangled corpse. The fuck?”

His clothes are creased and messy, none of it matching. His hair windswept and kind of greasy, and dark circles below his eyes that seem to sag down his cheeks. “Thanks, asshole. Where’s Doyoung? Upstairs?”

“Yeah.”

He nods and scrapes a hand through his hair, messing it up further. “Okay. Jungwoo, will you come with me?” he looks around. “No offence guys, but out of everyone here Jungwoo is the least likely to piss him off further.”

Taeyong blinks slowly. “What would _I_ do?”

“You’d try and hug Doyoung as soon as you saw him, and then he’d run away,” Ten says dryly. “Let Jungwoo go.”

Taeil nods slowly. “I think I’d just cry on him, and we all know he doesn’t much appreciate crying.”

Jungwoo gestures towards the back of the store, where the door to the second floor and Doyoung’s apartment waits. “After you, Jaehyun.” Once they’re out of earshot of the others, he murmurs, “Thank you for coming.”

Jaehyun smiles back at Jungwoo, but doesn’t pause on the stairs. “Of course I came.” He walks up to the apartment door and knocks gently. “Doyoung, it’s me.”

Silence.

He knocks again, face falling into concern. “Doyoung?”

“Sorry, sorry! I didn’t hear you the first time.” Doyoung’s voice comes through the door. “What do you need?”

“Can you let me in?”

“No. Sorry. Now isn’t a good time.”

“Okay,” Jaehyun agrees gently. He sits, making himself as comfortable as possible. “I’m good with staying out here. Can you tell me what you’re doing right now? I’m not interrupting you, am I?”

“No, of course not!”

“So what are you doing?”

Doyoung hesitates. “I’m... disinfecting my kitchen instead of facing my problems?”

Jaehyun laughs tiredly and leans his head against the door. He looks so tired, and Jungwoo feels like he’s intruding on something private and more tender than an argument between boyfriends, but he doesn’t want to leave Jaehyun on his own outside of the apartment, sat on the floor, hoping Doyoung will find his courage and open the door. “Ignoring emotional problems? That’s not like you.”

“Your sarcasm is not attractive, Jaehyun.”

“No? Then why on earth did you fall in love with me?”

Doyoung’s voice is faint through the door. “How could I ever do anything other than love you?”

Jaehyun swallows, his eyes fluttering closed. “Doyoung, please open the door. If you don’t want me in the apartment that’s fine, but at least open the door.”

“But isn’t that silly?” Doyoung’s question sounds raw, panic stitched into his voice by a deadly pointed needle. “Aren’t I just being fussy, like always? I’ve locked my friends out, I’ve denied you respite, I won’t let you into my home _again_ – not to mention the way I spoke to all of you, because you know how I lash out when I’m uncomfortable, and I really think you should just stop wasting your time Jaehyun-“

 _“Doyoung.”_ Jungwoo’s voice comes out firm, surprising himself and the other two people listening. “Jaehyun is being very kind right now, but you know who isn’t feeling so patient? Taeil. He’s downstairs, and none of this is going to go away. You can’t hide from your insecurities forever. Either you open the door for Jaehyun or I call Taeil up and he kicks it down and drags you out by your underwear.”

Silence.

Doyoung sighs. “He is a stubborn man, isn’t he?” the door unlocks and swings open. He’s stood there, tears dripping down his screwed up face, which crumples further when he sees Jaehyun sat on the ground. “Please don’t come in.”

It’s a good thing he says it, because Jaehyun looks seconds from throwing himself at Doyoung and never letting him go. His eyes well up. “We shouldn’t be this upset about a lousy weekend away from the city, Doyoung. I’d rather stay in one room for the rest of my life than force you into something you were uncomfortable doing.”

Doyoung wipes his eyes. “It’s not that I don’t want to go with you. I just – I’ve never taken a holiday from the store since I inherited it. A whole weekend? Who would close up? I can’t leave the building unoccupied because I’m terrified of something happening like a fire or a burglary or something, but no one could stay in my apartment for me because I’d have to bleach everything again.”

“Which weekend?” Jungwoo asks softly. They both look at him, but it’s Jaehyun that answers.

“This one. The cabin belongs to my cousin.” He turns back to Doyoung. “I should have given you more of a warning, more time to think it through. I didn’t mean to shock you, for you to think that you had to come. You don’t. I don’t want you to feel like you have to do anything you don’t want to, especially not in regards to me.”

“I want to go,” Doyoung stresses, wiping his eyes again. “I’m just... I’m just scared.”

Jungwoo clears his throat, hating to interrupt again. “If you’re worried about the store, I could stay in it over the weekend for you. I’d bring a sleeping bag, there are bathrooms down here and the kitchen for the customers – I’d be fine, if that’s all that’s troubling you.”

“I couldn’t ask you to do that,” Doyoung says.

“You could. You can.” Jungwoo nods to Jaehyun. “I’ll leave you two alone to sort everything out, but Doyoung, I’m more than willing to stay here for a weekend, especially if it means you get to go and relax somewhere where the air is fresh and you’re less likely to get assaulted by weird old people. I’ll see you two later.” He waves. “Remember to ring Taeyong and Taeil tomorrow, okay? They’re worried they’ve ruined your friendship.”

Doyoung snorts, and it comes out kind of wet. “It would take more than throwing a brownie at me to end our friendship, tell them that.”

Now is not the time to laugh, but god. “That’s what Taeil did?”

“Amongst a couple of hard hitting insults, yes.”

“Thank you for coming with me, Jungwoo,” Jaehyun says, still sat on the floor. He gives him a wave and then pats the floor just on the inside of Doyoung’s apartment. “Come on, big guy. Let’s talk this out like boyfriends, on the floor like men. Take your throne.”

Doyoung stares down at him for a second, and the vulnerability in his eyes is Jungwoo’s last clue that he needs to leave. There’s nothing more for him to do.

Doyoung takes a seat just inside the doorway, crossing his legs so that he’s opposite Jaehyun, one inside, one out. One reaching in, the other yearning to break out.

Jungwoo heads downstairs and herds everyone else out of the building with some brief reassurances.

Ten nudges him as he waits around for Jungwoo to lock up. “You wanna come over and watch some shitty porn?”

“Not really. A film would be nice though. Don’t you have plans with Johnny though?”

Ten shrugs. “I’m trying that whole being an adult thing, you know? I can’t spend all of my time with him or we’ll end up breaking each other’s noses. What film do you wanna watch? All I have on my laptop is porn.”

“Come to my apartment then and we can watch something else.”

“Such as?”

“Whatever you want. Horror? Comedy? Actually, please don’t say horror. I regret making that an option.”

Ten laughs and nudges him again. “Who would have thought in college that we would have ended up being two of the mature adults we saw in sitcoms, huh? I even pay bills. What a fucking life, man.”

“Bills don’t make you an adult, sweetie.”

“Pet names don’t make you less of a bitch, honey.”

Jungwoo giggles. “Shut up.”

“What was that, flatass?”

“It was shut _up_ , you whore.”

Ten flutters his lashes. “And I relish it. What about you? Have you gagged on Yukhei’s meaty nine-incher yet?”

Jungwoo shoves him onto the ground without remorse. “You’re the worst. Why are we friends?”

Ten laughs from the pavement. “Someone is grouchy because he didn’t get the monster cock, huh?”

“Someone is grouchy because his boyfriend is sleeping and not paying you any attention, huh? Either get up and come watch a comedy with me or go home and watch porn alone like the sad little man that you are.”

“Can we get some takeout on the way?”

Jungwoo blows out his breath. “You’re such a pillow princess. Fine.”

Ten pats Jungwoo’s ass as he gets up. “You’re paying, baby.”

 

-

 

Doyoung looks lighter the next day.

Not perfect, but lighter.

He pulls Jungwoo aside just before his lunch break, patting him gently on the hand. “Thank you for last night,” he murmurs below the hum of the college crowd. “It’s been a long time since I’ve had such an... emotional shut down. I didn’t even realise at the time what was happening.”

“Are you feeling better?”

“Yes. Things aren’t rightened yet, but they’re getting there.” He smiles faintly. “I’ve been thinking about your offer, and I’ve talked a lot with Jaehyun. How would you feel about looking after the store for one night? If I can make it one night without losing my mind, maybe in a month or so I could manage a weekend.” He takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. “Slow progress is still progress, I know that. Jaehyun had to remind me, but I remember now.”

“Will you get mad at me if I cry and hug you?” Jungwoo asks, voice brimming with pride and tears.

Doyoung scowls and reddens, pulling away. “Yes. Can you do this Saturday or not?”

“Of course I can!” and he knows how weak Doyoung is for him, so he drowns him in a hug anyway, kissing along his cheeks and forehead. “I love you so much!”

Doyoung stands still and takes it like a champ. “Please save this for anyone that isn’t me. But I love you too.” His eyes widen. “Oh! Jaehyun came up with a suggestion. If you stay this Saturday, why don’t you invite Yukhei too? As long as you don’t have sex anywhere in my store or the surrounding area. I would have to kill you for that, but a whole evening alone sounds quite tedious. Maybe company wouldn’t be such a bad idea.”

Jungwoo pulls away slightly, surprised. “You’d be okay with that?”

“Yes, as long as I see no traces of his presence when I return.”

“Do... do you think he’d want to?”

“You’re such an idiot, sometimes. It’s been months since he first showed interest in you; I think he’d jump at the chance to go grocery shopping with you, never mind spending an evening alone together.”

“Can I take a break and go and ask him now?”

“Yeah, Ten and Johnny can help me with the restocking. Take an hour and get some proper food for yourself. I see you trying to live off of pieces of fruit, but that isn’t even a diet, it’s just starving yourself.”

Jungwoo pouts. He’s just too lazy to cook, most of the time. “Okay, see you soon.”

He heads over to the gym, but for once it isn’t Yukhei at the desk. It’s a kid with curly orange hair and a sweet face. “Hi, can I help you?”

“Hi there!” Jungwoo says. Oh, so cute. He wants to squish those cheeks. “I’m looking for Yukhei, is he in today?”

Brows raise. “You want Yukhei?”

“Yep!”

“He’s here, but he’s not actually working today. I think he’s in the pool doing laps, but he might have dipped in to help Yuta with the yoga. I can go and find him if you’d like?”

Jungwoo waves the offer away. “Oh, I don’t want to keep you from working! Do you mind if I go looking for him?”

“Nope, be my guest.” The kid hands him a little laminated card. “This is an employee pass, if Yukhei is in any of the private rooms just press this against the light at the door and it should unlock for you.” His eyes narrow. “You’re Jungwoo, right?”

“I am.”

“I thought so. I’m Donghyuck.”

“Ohhhh,” Jungwoo drawls, realisation hitting. Sweet but rabid, that’s what Jeno had said. He can certainly see the sweet, but he’s glad he hasn’t come to know the rabid. “Nice to meet you!”

“Oh? What does oh mean?”

 “Uh,” he winces. “The other day I met Jeno and he described you? I just... kind of recognised you?”

“Ah!” Donghyuck’s face lights up and Jungwoo goes right back to wanting to squeeze his cheeks. “I love Jeno!”

“He said as much,” Jungwoo says somewhat lamely. “Donghyuck I don’t mean this in a weird way but it’s possible that you’re the cutest guy I have ever seen in my life.”

Donghyuck giggles and it sounds like sunshine. “Thank you so much! Are you gonna go to Kun’s on Sunday?”

“Kun’s?”

“Well if you’re dating Yukhei you kind of have to, right?”

“What’s happening on Sunday?”

“Kun always makes breakfast for everyone on Sunday mornings, even Ten has started coming with Johnny. You should come too!”

“Okay,” he says faintly. “You’ll be there?”

“I sure will!”

“Okay,” he repeats, overwhelmed. The urge to hug Donghyuck is so strong, like gravity’s pull. Weird. “I’ll go find Yukhei.”

“Have fun!”

He gives Donghyuck a little wave, and Donghyuck blows him a kiss.

Has he just adopted a child? It feels like it. He feels like a father now.

Luckily, it doesn’t take long in his daze to find Yukhei, who could probably be found in pitch black by echo-location, given how loud his voice is. Jungwoo finds him in a huge open space full of middle aged ladies, stood next to Yuta who is doing what must be his best impression of Elastigirl in front of the cooing women, who all try to copy his pose to varying degrees of failure. Not that Jungwoo can judge, considering he can barely touch his toes.

Yukhei sees Jungwoo and screams. “Jungwoo!”

Wow. He’s half embarrassed by the mass of women that turn to stare at him, half flattered that Yukhei then goes pink when he realises how obvious he is. “Hi, Yukhei. Can I borrow you for a second?” he winks at Yuta. “I’ll bring him back soon.”

“Please don’t,” Yuta deadpans. “Keep him or leave him somewhere else.”

Yukhei blows him a raspberry then jogs the length of the room to join Jungwoo in the hall. It’s quieter there, and they’re alone. Yukhei is in shorts and a muscle shirt that shows off his toned, sweaty arms, and suddenly Jungwoo isn’t feeling so paternal anymore. “So, what’s up?”

“Are you free on Saturday night?”

“I was gonna spend my evening eating noodles and then regretting eating so much and then eating more, but I guess I could schedule you in there somewhere.”

Jungwoo laughs. Yukhei has an undeniable charm, one that should be annoying – _would_ be annoying on anyone else – but somehow it works. Somehow he makes Jungwoo smile anyway. “I mean the whole night. Evening to morning.”

Yukhei’s eyes widen impossibly and he lifts a hand to his heart. “Jungwoo... I can’t say I’m not honoured, but I’m a child of God, I can’t just let you ravish me on the second date, what would my mother say?”

Jungwoo swats his arm, terribly amused until he feels how firm the muscle is, and then he’s just horny. “Not for that. I’ve got to stay in the store overnight for Doyoung, and I wanted to know if you’d like to join me?”

“For a _sleepover?”_

He feels himself falter. “Well it sounds stupid when you phrase it like that.”

Yukhei says something incredibly fast and definitely not in Korean, shaking his head. “No, I don’t mean it like that, I think it sounds awesome! I can bring blankets and snacks and stuff and we could play board games and shit, right? It sounds so fun!”

“Board games?” it isn’t what Jungwoo has in mind, but if Yukhei wants to play monopoly, Jungwoo will humour him.

“Yeah, Kun and I have loads!”

“Speaking of Kun, Donghyuck just invited me to your apartment for breakfast on Sunday, but I don’t want to intrude. Would you mind-“

“Please come,” Yukhei says, almost begging right off the bat. “It’s so annoying that Ten comes now, Johnny just spends the whole time staring at him and with Donghyuck staring at Mark I always feel like such a loser sat there alone with my toast and my lack of someone to stare at.”

Jungwoo blinks rapidly at the info dump. “Okay. Uh, should we exchange numbers this time so I can tell you when to meet me?”

“Yes! Groovy!”

He tells himself as he leaves that he’s exaggerating for his own sake. Yukhei isn’t that cute. He doesn't make Jungwoo’s heart beat that fast.

His phone vibrates, and he opens it to a text from an unknown number that reads, _‘I’m jealous of your heart because it gets to pump inside of you and I don't hehe xx btw hi its yukhei xx’_.

Yeah.

Yeah, he’s kind of smitten.

 

-

 

They play monopoly until Yukhei gets frustrated because he sucks at it.

Then they play warships.

Then they have snacks, lovingly bought at the corner store by Yukhei, and cookies Jungwoo made in the store’s kitchen.

Then they play scrabble, and Yukhei cheats, picking up more vowels from the bag.

At midnight, Jungwoo yawns, and Yukhei watches him. “Is it bed time?”

“If you want.”

They get out their sleeping bags, and Yukhei dips into the bathroom to change while Jungwoo gives the store a once-over so that he can reassure Doyoung via text that the windows are locked and none of the fire exits are obstructed. By the time Yukhei returns, smelling of toothpaste, Jungwoo is half asleep on the floor, tucked into his sleeping bag and surrounded by the seemingly hundreds of blankets Yukhei had brought. The only light comes from a shitty portable lantern that Jungwoo had picked up from Ten’s apartment (part of his protest camping equipment, apparently) and the gold glow makes Yukhei look even softer than usual as he burrows down in his purple bear pyjamas.

It’s been a week.

Two dates.

Yukhei pulls one of his arms out of the sleeping bag to find Jungwoo’s hand and hold it tightly.

“This is fun,” he murmurs, possibly the quietest Jungwoo has ever heard him. “Not many people wanna play board games with me. Are you wearing the socks I brought you? I have matching ones on right now.”

“Maybe it’s because you cheat so much,” Jungwoo whispers, staring up at the ceiling, lost in his thoughts. “But yeah, I’m wearing them.”

“You're nicer than most of the people I’ve dated.”

“You’re nicer than most of the people I’ve dated, too.”

Yukhei makes a questioning noise. “Really? I can’t picture you with anyone mean. Seems against your character.”

Jungwoo nods. “I have this thing, you know? Ever since I was a kid everyone would say how sweet I am, how I’m made for a family, made to be someone’s other half. I’ve always wanted that, I think, but I have a weird penchant for excitement – I hate dinner dates and wearing suits and wondering if we’re going to kiss each other on the cheek at the end of the date. It means I’ve always gone for the guys that don’t do that – the ones that will meet me at for dinner maybe once, but then afterwards want something else. It’s usually sex, but for the first couple of weeks I always manage to tell myself it’s something deeper, I guess.”

“You don’t like dinner dates?”

“I don’t like routine. I have a weird relationship with it, because Doyoung – I can understand how he needs it, like a comfort, but doing the same thing, day in  and day out – it gives me itchy feet. I love my job and my friends, they’re the constant that I need, but everything else – it sounds stupid, but I don’t think I’ve lived in an apartment longer than a year since I moved out of my parent’s house. Ten says I’ll settle down when I find what I’m looking for, but for now... for now I’m just this.”

Yukhei turns on his side to face Jungwoo, so, to be polite, Jungwoo does the same despite his embarrassment.

“Sorry if I just treated you like a therapist, that wasn’t what I wanted to do.”

Yukhei shakes his head. “Talking about yourself doesn’t make you selfish.”

He swallows hard, wonders just how much his past relationships had been stifling him without him realising. “What about you? Any skeletons in your closet?”

“Other than my own?” Yukhei laughs, somewhat nervously. “See, I’m like one hundred percent sure that Ten has made some kind of joke about me being a virgin, but I would like to state for the official records that I’m not a virgin. I’ve just never... you know. Done butt stuff.”

Oh. “Butt stuff?” Jungwoo asks, half surprised, half amused, wholly endeared.

“Yeah. I only realised I was bisexual like a year ago, and I’ve only been with one guy. He was super cool and I really enjoyed doing stuff with him, like, dick stuff, but we didn’t actually have that much in common. Jaemin told me off for picking bad dudes, said that I was worth more, but I didn’t see the problem until he got all funky on me because he realised I was bisexual and not gay. It was weird, you know? I didn’t think I’d somehow manage to get more shit for being bi than gay, but he really said some mean stuff about how I was a fake and a time waster.”

Jungwoo gapes. “A _fake?_ What the hell?”

“I know right? How am I a fake if I suck his dick just because I’m attracted to women too? It’s not like I was down there missing boobs.”

Jungwoo giggles, despite himself. “I’m sorry you went through that Yukhei.”

“Me too. But hey, it’s no big deal in the long run, right? He’s still single, and now his nose looks funky because Jaemin broke it.”

“He _what?”_ Jungwoo doesn’t know Jaemin, but he loves him. Adores him. Would do absolutely anything for him.

Yukhei laughs, his cheek squashed against his pillow, looking unbearably cute. “Yeah, he got really weird about it. Screaming about biphobia, just fully laying into this guy until Jeno inserts himself between them and warns Jaemin that if he keeps going none of us would visit him in prison if he was charged with murder.”

“Your friends are so wild.”

“Yours are too, you know that, right? They might be slightly older, but Ten is a mess. Doyoung is a very tidy mess, but still a mess. Taeil is a tiny mess. Taeyong... kind of scares me.”

 _Taeyong?_ The constantly exhausted preschool teacher, scary? “How on earth does Taeyong scare you?”

“Sometimes he looks at me and I see nothing but death in his eyes.”

“He’s just tired,” Jungwoo says as comfortingly as possible. “He teaches toddlers and then spends his spare time with us, who are nothing more than big toddlers. Have sympathy for him.”

“But I love kids!”

“You do?” Jungwoo doesn’t know why it surprises him, but somehow it does.

“Hell yeah! Those tiny little guys run everywhere like there’s nothing better in the world than chopped fruit and naptime, which I can respect.”

“Do you want kids one day?”

“One day, yeah.” Yukhei smiles. “Do you?”

“I’d love kids,” Jungwoo says quietly. “You know, the typical dream of a big house with a garden and lots of giggling children running through it. That’s what I want, one day.”

“But until then you’re happy with shitty guys you meet in bars?”

Jungwoo lifts himself onto one arm. “Until then I’m happy to try anything. Even you.”

Yukhei raises a brow. “Even me?”

“Especially you,” Jungwoo murmurs, leaning down to kiss him.

They don’t fuck.

Jungwoo wakes up squashed against the floor, barely breathing under Yukhei’s weight as he’s cuddled into the verge of oblivion.

They’re in the same sleeping bag, it’s way too hot and tight, and Jungwoo is seconds from peeing himself.

Yukhei groans and nuzzles into the back of his neck. “Morning, sunshine.”

Jungwoo swallows back something burning hot and heavy in the centre of his chest. “Good morning, Yukhei.”

Yukhei murmurs something indistinguishable.

“Huh?”

“Sorry, I sometimes slip into mandarin when I’m not thinking properly,” he mutters, rubbing his nose in Jungwoo’s hair. His voice is so deep and rough, but his tone is so gentle. “I asked if you still wanted to go to my apartment for one of Kun’s breakfasts.”

“I’d love to.”

“Awesome sauce. You wanna make out some more first?”

He laughs, despite the lump in his throat. “Yeah, Yukhei. That sounds nice.”

“It does, doesn’t it?” Yukhei somehow manages to flip Jungwoo over in the tight confines of the sleeping bag. “Damn, you’re the hottest rotisserie chicken I’ve ever flipped.”

They laugh into the first press of their lips, but it doesn’t take long for it to fade into something quieter, softer.

It takes them a long time to reach Yukhei’s apartment, but when they do Jungwoo is swamped by Donghyuck and his friend Jisung, and despite the fact that he doesn’t even get to sit near Yukhei, Yukhei lives up to his promise of staring at Jungwoo throughout the morning.

Jungwoo makes a point of staring back.

 

-

 

One week becomes two.

Then three.

Four.

Five.

Jungwoo is on the edge of his seat with nerves, waiting for the day he wakes up and isn’t excited at the thought of seeing Yukhei.

The more he waits for it, the less likely it seems that it’s going to come.

Doyoung, once more in the midst of his own domestic bliss, simply scoffs. “You do realise those guys were all boring to you because you had nothing in common and no emotional investment?”

“We haven’t even had sex yet,” Jungwoo says, dismayed at his own turmoil. “Why do I like him so much? He didn’t even know what a prostate was until last week!”

Ten chokes on the grapes he’s eating. “He didn’t? Fucking hell. Have you given him a blowjob yet?”

“Yeah,” Jungwoo says, counting bills.

“And? Is it nine inches?”

“It’s... big.”

Ten makes a noise in his throat. “You’re missing the point, I wanna know if he’s bigger than Johnny.”

“It isn’t a competition,” Jungwoo says sweetly, “But yes he is.”

Ten scowls. “You’ve never seen Johnny’s dick, how could you know that?”

“If it were bigger than Yukhei’s, you’d never be able to walk anywhere.”

“Maybe I just have a high pain tolerance.”

Doyoung looks dead inside when he says, “Can you for once please not traumatise the customers. Just _once_ can we have a day where someone doesn’t leave my store because you two are saying disgusting things in public. Please. And Ten, you know this is mainly aimed at you. Please shut up.”

“Can I have a break?” Jungwoo asks Doyoung suddenly. “I wanna make a call.”

“Sure, if it means you’ll stop talking about dicks in my store.”

“You’re just jealous because everyone here knows Jaehyun’s dick is no better than average,” Ten says smugly.

Doyoung splutters. “Take that back!”

Jungwoo slips outside into the warm sunshine, and through the front of the gym store he can see Donghyuck waving at him madly. He waves back, and they blow each other a kiss before Jungwoo turns to his phone and rings Yukhei.

“Hey my sweetest bro baby, what’s up?”

Jungwoo smiles at the ground. “Hey, Yukhei. You free tonight?”

“I sure am. You wanna keep watching Queer Eye? I know you like to cry on me when the ending is really happy.”

He’s not in love. Five weeks isn’t long enough to love someone, not by a long shot.

But –

He’s definitely falling.

Fast.

“I wanna have sex, actually.”

Yukhei is silent for a moment. “Ah. I see. May I remind you that I’m not good at fingering you and I still don’t really understand what a prostate is? I only nodded because I didn’t want you to laugh at me.”

“Yukhei,” Jungwoo chides, “this isn’t me telling you we have to have sex, this is me asking if you want to.”

“I mean. If you ask me if I want to have sex, the answer is always going to be yes. Like, that’s just how it is.” His voice turns sulky. “But I want it to be good for you, and I don’t think it will be. I was gonna see if I could take some classes.”

Jungwoo bursts out laughing, incredulous. “Lessons on how to finger a prostate? Yukhei!”

“I wanna make sure you have a good time too,” Yukhei says hotly. “I know I’ve got the blowjobs down, and I can tell you really enjoy it when my tongue-“

“Yukhei,” Jungwoo interrupts. “This is a partnership, right? You teach me something, I teach you. We’ll never know unless we try, but I’m not gonna leave you because of a lack of experience. Don’t be so silly.”

“Tonight? You really mean it?”

“Only if you want to.”

“Can we try at yours instead of mine? If Kun hears us again he might kill me.”

“Sure.” Jungwoo checks the time. “I have to head back now before Doyoung fires me, but I’ll text you.”

“Yeah,” Yukhei agrees softly. “Okay. Speak to you later. L- take care.”

“You too,” Jungwoon says.

 

-

 

Five weeks is too soon to call it love.

Way too soon.

But still.

He walks into work the next morning, and Ten balks as soon as he sees him. “Fucking hell Jungwoo, what happened to you?”

He sticks his tongue out as he ducks under the bench to each the cash register. “I spent the whole night and early morning getting fucked by the love of my life, that’s what.”

Ten almost spits out his gum, eyes going impossibly wide as his gaze slowly moves to the open doorway of the store, where Yukhei is stood with his mouth hanging open, Jungwoo’s forgotten jacket clutched in one hand.

“Love of your life?” he asks. _“Me?”_

“Uh,” Jungwoo says, panicked, “Maybe?”

“You’re mine too!” Yukhei exclaims. “I cried last night while you were sleeping because I really think I love you! You have total control of my heart and dick!”

Doyoung steps from between some shelves, a hardback book in each hand. “I’ve had _enough_ of this in my store!”

Yukhei holds out a hand for Jungwoo. “Run away with me.”

_“What?”_

“He’s gonna throw those at us.” Yukhei ducks just in time to avoid one of the books. It’s a Dickens, so Doyoung must be really pissed. “Jungwoo, run away with me before I die via book bludgeon.”

Jungwoo looks at Doyoung, who is positioning the next book. He gives Jungwoo a tiny smile. “Take tomorrow’s shift instead. I’ll see you at eleven.”

Yukhei’s big hand waits, empty, open.

Jungwoo grabs it and allows himself to be pulled through the doors, into the sunshine, excitement flooding him in waves that feel an awful lot like happiness.

Like something else he isn't ready to say yet, but maybe soon.

Definitely soon.

 

**Author's Note:**

> I have three biases in NCT - any guesses? It's probably not too obvious actually, lol.  
> Anyway I hope everyone enjoyed! There may be more installments in this series, but I'll have to see how college goes.  
> Kudos/Comments/Bookmarks are always appreciated and keep me motivated tho! Love to u all! xo


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